Wwise WAAPI WalkThru

WAAPI integration was just added to hard-wire Wwise to BaseHead allowing you to toss files back and forth while retaining most all the parameters. This feature can be seen in both PC and Mac versions rolling out in starting version 5.1. Yes, I know what you are thinking that BaseHead usually comes in the workflow before the DAW and then to Wwise last in the chain. So who is this for? This feature isn’t aimed at Sound Designers as much as it’s aimed towards the audio programmer/implementer, people that want to sketch out rough ideas quickly and mobile game developers that aren’t making as complex of assets as a AAA titles that don’t need the fully power of a DAW in between and already have a pack of made assets.

Now I’m gonna walk you thru setup to get you going…. Firstly, open the Wwise User Preferences and turn ON WAAPI to link the two programs. If you are not currently using WAAPI with any other programs we recommend setting it to just #unknown as in the screenshot below.Next set the External Wave Editor to BaseHead. This allows you to send selected objects to BaseHead using the key command “Ctrl+E”. Then close out of that.

Then go to BaseHead’s PeekTree settings panel and show the Wwise Node. (This is unchecked by default)

Now your ready to go! Find a sound you inside BaseHead….pitch it up or down, add VST’s to it and when your ready, click the transfer icon from the Wwise node in the left side PeekTree and watch it fly over to Wwise. (You can also use the “Ctrl+X” key command on PC or “Command+X” on Mac)

We store the most recent objects transferred in the left side PeekTree node, so you can quickly recall them, make changes and update the object in Wwise. To do this simply click the object in the PeekTree to pull it back from Wwise OR if your are inside Wwise you can use “Ctrl+E” to toss the file back to BaseHead and it will be added to the top of this node list. The make a your changes inside BaseHead and press the right most “Refresh Wwise Object” button to update it in Wwise.

Clicking the far right Refresh Icon will replace the Wwise Object with the current loaded sound in BH.

Some of the parameters stored and recalled:

Filename and Object ID

Region In/Out points

Wwise Loop in/Out points

pitchSlider, pitchFX, direction and stretch values

if Reversed, Extracted Channel or if Summed to Mono

Solo's and Mutes

Stereo and Mono Downmix states

M/S Decoder state

VST Plugins for all 12 slots

This image shows a side by side comparison of a file region sent to Wwise (Left), with Loop points set and sent back to BaseHead (Right)

Opening the Multi-Editor inside Wwise reveals all the parameters being retained and sent back and forth between the two programs inside a designated BaseHead node.

You also have control of some global parameters that are recalled when an object in the Wwise Node is clicked that you might not want over-written on each object recall

The rough video below shows the workflow in detail tossing files back and forth between BaseHead and Wwise with fully synced parameters using WAAPI

By far the best way to get a feel for this integration is try it if for yourself. It’s a fresh new feature, so let use know what you think!